Letterheads and the like



Jan. 10, 1961 B. KUSHNER LETTERHEADS AND THE LIKE Filed sept. 24, 1957 will l IN VENTOR.

United States Patent.

LETIERHEADS AND THE LIKE Bernard Kushner, 143 Larkin Court, Stratford, Conn.

Filed Sept. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 685,927

7 Claims. (Cl. 229-923) The present invention relates -to novel and improved constructions in letterheads and the like, particularly those which are folded into two or more plies for usual mailing practices using a window envelope or no envelope at all as is common in advertising by mail. Also, letterheads embodying this invention may be utilized to accomplish various animated effects as will be explained. If desired, letterheads taught herein may carry a reply card; such card entering into the mechanical scheme of the various constructions this invention may assume.

An object of this invention is to provide novel and improved letterheads which in folded condition expose the name and address of the addressee and when opened will automatically position his name to be the salutation while the address is hidden from view. The animation creates surprise and serves to nourish the curiosity to read. Besides the above, the immediate advantage is that each letter is personalized without the necessity of y having to write or type in the addressees name at salutation'position. This gives a personalized letter at an appreciable saving in cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide letterhead constructions of the character described, which are reasonably cheap to manufacture, positive in action and eicient in carrying out the purposes for which they are designed.

f Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, I use a folded letterhead whose top ply is the upper part of the sheet and whose top edge is the top edge of the sheet. This gives a fold line along the bottom edge of the folded format. Now consider the letterhead spread out flat fully opened On the back surface of the sheet is a second sheet which may be of like stock or stiffer than theV letterhead. This second sheet extends across the fold and is in any suitable manner hinged to swing about a line a predetermined distance below and parallel to said fold line, on the ply of the letterhead which is immediately adjacent its upper part when the letterhead is folded. There also is means on said upper part, serving as a track to hold the second sheet against the letterhead during the opening and closing of the letterhead, meaning, during its folding and unfolding. The extent of such sliding movement of the second sheet will be twice the distance between said hinge and fold lines. There are suitably spaced or dimensioned window spaces in the upper part of the letterhead and there is address data on the second sheet, all of which is exposed when the letterhead is folded, but only the personal name portion of which is exposed through window space when the letterhead is unfolded, at which time such name appears and serves as the salutation of the letter.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 shows the back of a letterhead which is of a Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment. Here however, the mentioned second sheet is shown bent away and disassociated from the track means so as to attain clarity of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a similar View of yet another embodiment.`

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the letterhead partially folded with the front face of its upper part in view. The second or slide sheet is shown disassociated from the track means to aid the explanation of this invention. This view may be deemed to apply to each of the embodiments in the previously mentioned figures.'

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken at lines 5--5 in Fig. 1. The letterhead is here shown partially folded.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken at lines 6-6 -in ig. v2. Here the second sheet is shown associated with the track means. v

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken at lines 7-7 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is like Fig. 5, but the letterhead is shown nearly fully folded.

Thickness of sheet material is shown exaggerated.

In the drawings which show preferred forms this inVention may assume, the three dilferent embodiments thereof' illustrated, are designated generally by the numerals 15,. 16, 17 respectively. The embodiment 15 shown in Fig. 1,. comprises a paper sheet 18 having a flap 19 at its upperl edge which is turned down rearwardly to lie against the: back surface of said sheet and is glued along the sidey edges to form the inverted pocket 20. Said sheet 18 as here-shown, is folded in three parts 21, 22, 23 in the manner of an accordion pleat so that the front surface of the top part 21 is exposed when such sheet is in folded condition. It is evident that when folded, the rear surface of said first part 21 will be adjacent the rear surface of the second. part 22. In fact, for the practice of this invention, only a two-ply folded format is necessary. The three-ply fold is shown, because letterheads are usually of such size as to require same for the ordinary commercial size envelopes. The structure includes a second sheet which may be a slip or card 24, positioned against the back of the sheet 18, across the fold line 25 when sheet 18 is unfolded, with its top edge 24 a bit Within said pocket 20. Said slip 2'4 is in any suitable manner hinged to the back surface of the letterhead sheet part 22 along a line parallel to and spaced a predetermined distance from the fold line 25. In Fig. 1, such hinge connection is effected by a gummed paper disc 26,

construction embodying the teachings of this invention.

which is secured part on the sheet 18 and part on the slip 24, to provide the hinge line 27. The surface of the slip 24 which is adjacent the part 21 has the name and address of the addressee thereon. As shown in Fig. 4, :the part 21 has a cut-out or window 28, of such size and in such position that when the letterhead sheet 18 is folded, said name and address is exposed therethrough. Properly spaced below said cut-out, part 21 has an elongated slot 29, through which only the name of the addressee shows when the letterhead sheet 18 is unfolded at, for it must be noted that when the spread out sheet 18 is folded flat, the slip 24 will have moved into the pocket 20, a distance twice the distance between the fold line 25 and the hinge line 27. When the folded sheet 18 is unfolded and spread out at, said slip 24 will have moved out of the pocket 20 a distance twice that between said fold and hinge lines. It is evident that said pocket serves as Va track for the slip 24. The front surface of the sheet 18, on parts 21 and below, has printed the body of a letter thereon. The name of the addressee printed on the slip 24, serves as part of the address when the item 15 is in folded condition, and when the folded format is spread open flat, such name of the addressee printed on the slip 24, comes into position to be viewed through -the'slot window 29, `and serves as the salutation f the letter. At this time, the remainder of the address printed on the slip 24, is hidden from view. It should also be noted at this point that the normal way for a person to unfold the ,letterhead is to pinch edge 30 -in one hand and edge 31 in the other, and then separate the hands. This assures proper working for the purpose here required. In the normal unfolding of the letterhead 15, the name in the address will automatically assume its position in window slot 29, where it becomes the salutation of the letter proper.

Another way for providing a track means for the slip, is shown in Fig. 2, where V-slits through the letterhead 16- afford the tabs 33, 34 which are pushed backward; the slip or card 35 being slidable on the rear face of the part 36 and confined between said tabs, because the front face of each of said tabs bears against the rear faceof the card 35 as is shown in Fig. 6. Here, the card 35, hinged by its pasted on flap 3T, may be torn off along the line or perforations 38, and already bearing the customersV name may have suitable printing to serve as a reply card.

ln Fig. 3, the letterhead is exactly like 16, except that a loose address-bearing card 4() is engaged by the cardboard hook l41 between the bight 42 and the hinge line 43. In essence, said card and the hook carrying same may be deemed a single entity since they move as a unit and it is only for convenience that such entity is in two parts. The hook body is between the back surface of the letterhead and the card 40, to facilitate assembly.

As shown in Fig. 3, the flap 44, which might even be a separate piece, is not yet pasted down. Whether integral' or not, part of the margin of `44 which is beyond any locus of the card 40, need be secured to the letterhead body. For instance, any part of, or the entire area 0f the glue lanes 45 and 46 may be used to secure the part 44 to the letterhead body. The region of the margin of the piece A44 secured to the letterhead body, may be just near the fold line when said piece is integral, or same may be pasted or otherwise secured by or at the regions of the glue spots 45', 4S" in any construction. This is found suflicient to hold the plies and maintain them together fiat. Though not in pocket or sleeve form, such construction serves as a track to engage and guide any card like 40.

The complete folded article, may of course be mailed in a window envelope so that the address on the hinged sliding card is visible therethrough. If no envelope is to be used, the part 23 should be made shorter so it may be folded to lie between the part 22 and the card 24 as shown at 23 in Fig. 8. Here the open-end of the assembled article may be held closed by a straddling piece of glue paper which might be the postage stamp not shown, but well known asa practice in mailing.

Without further illustration, because same is readily understood by thoseversed in the art, the card or slip may be hingedly secured onto the letterhead proper in Figs. 1 and 2, in any of` the ways shown in such figures, and the tabs like 33 and 34 may be provided to engage and guide the hook 41 instead of using the pocket or other ways set forth. Inaddition, or alone Vif desired, printed figures or pictorial representations` in areas 47 and 48 on the card, may successively appear in a window at 50 that in first viewing one, of themwhen the letterhead is folded, and then viewing the other when the letterhead is unfolded, the effect of animation is produced. For instance, the figure at 47 may be a closed book and at 48, an open book. Upon opening the letterhead to fiat condition, the visual impression made will be that of a book being opened. This of course, would be due to the persistence of vision. Even if the unfolding is done slowly, the difference of said figures will convey some message depending upon the intelligence they denote in their different positions on the letterhead.

If desired, the window space instead ofbeingin twov parts as in Fig. 4, may omit the strip 52, and be'just one window of proper size and position as 51 in Fig. 2.

I find that the most practical embodiment is where the letterhead is folded in three, as shown in the embodiments illustrated. For various practices of this inventlon, the sliding slip or card may be associated across any two successive parts of the folded letterhead and that they may even be manufactured and sold blank to be printed en masse or singly typed as needed. a

This invention is capable of numerous forms and variousv applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. InV an articleof the character described, a letter head spread out fiat, provided with a fold line thereacross; said letterhead being foldable on said fold line whereby the back surfaces of the two successive parts of the letterhead are. against one another, a sheet member positioned behind and against the letterhead, across said fold line and hingedly mounted on one of said parts about a line parallel to and spaced from said fold line, track means on the second of said parts, extending behind said hind hinged sheet and holding such sheet against said second part; said sheet being constantly slidably associated with said track means for movement in a direction perpendicular to said 4fold line; the second part of the letterhead having wlndow space therethrough; said hind hinged sheet showing a name and address thereon in separate lines one below the other on the front surface thereof; the n-ame and address being across the window space when the letterheadis in fiat condition folded on said fold line and only the line showing the name lbeing across the window space when the letterhead is in spread out flat condition; the last mentioned position of the name being in the position ofY and servingas the salutation on the letterhead.

2. The article as defined in claim l, wherein the window space comprises-two spaced windows one above the other on the letterhead; the name and address being across one of said windows when the letterhead is folded fiat andthe line showing the name only is across the other window and the address is hidden when the letterhead is unfolded so-that said partsthereof are extended fiat.

3. The article as defined in claim 2, whereinthe mentioned second part of the letterhead is the top portion thereofand the second'window is the lower one.

4. The article as defined in claim l, wherein the track means comprises a strip, behind and across the hind hinged member; marginal` part of said strip being secured to' the back surface of .the letterhead.

5. The article as defined in claim4, wherein said strip is integral withthe letterhead and is a ap extending from the top edge of said letterhead and forming an inverted pocket therewith wherein thehind hinged sheet is slidable.

6. The article as defined in claiml, wherein the track means comprisestwo tabs struckfrom the letterhead and positioned one at each side edge of the hinged hind sheet and layingagainst the back surface of such hind sheet.

7. The. larticle as defined inclaim 1, wherein the hinge connection for the hind sheet is provided by having a relatively stili" strip lyinglengthwise along the letterhead adjacent the hind sheet member; said strip beinghinged to the first part of the letterhead on the back surface of such part and said strip having a hook bend at its free end; the hind sheet being straddled by such bend and in contact with the bight of such hook bend.

(References on following` page) References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Hartman July 24, 1923 Hazen Apr. 9. 1929 Baker Apr. 23, 1929 Davis Feb. 2, 1937 Lee Nov. 29, 1938 Miller Oct. 30, 1956 

